Kenya in May

How's Kenya?

GREAT!
Weather has been good so far. A bit rainy a few of the days, but it's a nice break from the sun. June and July are the winter months here in Kenya so it's expected to get cooler. I'm still hoping for lots of sun.

Yesterday we traveled to a dowry for a friend of Saraphina's (George our program co-coordinator's wife). After quite possibly the worst car ride of my life (2 hours in a car full of 7 people- constantantly hiding from police stops) we arrived to the rural village where the dowry took place. So interesting! In Kenya the male must gather and mobilize all his friends and family to support him while approaching the females family and village. This is to show that he is of good character and enough people are vouching for him to marry this girl. When the family and friends arrive they bring gifts and collect money to help the male with the negotiation process where he will eventually bargain with the family over a price (gift) to give to the family in return for his wife. In this dowry ceremony, once we sang for permission to be let into the host family's land everyone ate the food prepared by the future brides family. George informed us that sometimes if the male does not bring enough people or gifts, he will be denied entry and will not be allowed to marry the daughter. An interesting part of the day was when multiple women covered in shawls were brought to the man proposing, whereby he had to select out of all the women, the one he had come to marry.

Last week, along with George and Saraphina, we attended a Gor Mahia football match in Nairobi. Emma and I had bought jerseys the day before and being the only white girls in the stadium we were swarmed by Gor Mahia fanatics who wanted to take pictures with us. Super werid, but funny none the less. After the half we were down 0-1, but Gor Mahia was quick to score a goal to tie it up. Unfortunately the goal scored was not counted and Gor Mahia fans who had been cheering excitedly, quickly turned angry. The fans believed that the ref was corrupt as there was also a second goal that was unfairly counted. As one of the well known chants for this team says "we will throw rocks at you"... and for this game, that's exactly what they did. Fans began stampeding around the stadium, breaking fences to get onto the field and throwing rocks and bottles that the had brought into the stadium to throw at the ref and other team. Emma and I were in the crazy fanatic section and told to stay still as there was a chance of us getting hit. The military was called in with their AK407's and dogs. They began releasing tear gas and firing their guns to control the crowd. Outside the stadium we could hear car windows breaking and gun shots. Eventful night to say the least! The game was called and the ref had to hide behind the military and an ambulance to be escorted out of the stadium. The fans were shouting that they wanted his blood!

With part of my work for Education for Life (the organization I am working with), I attend a rehabilitation centre for youth found in the dump and on the streets called Boma Rescue. The centre is right beside the biggest dump in Kenya where approx. 2,500 people live searching through the garbage when they have no where else to go. We have been told that people are often burred alive here.
Last Wednesday we took a walk through the dump to visit some of the homes of  the children at Boma and learn more about why they were found on the streets instead of in school. The walk was nauseating. Skulls of animals. Pigs, cows, vultures eating the garbage left there. People digging through the garbage with their bare hands in attempt to find anything of value. Most of the stories of the children from Boma are cases of child labour, where a family will adopt a child for the mere reason of profiting or benefiting in some way from them.
There is a boy here at Boma who has stolen my heart! His name is Jenga and he is the happiest most outgoing boy. He wears a ripped purple blazer and shoes 3 sizes too big for him. Last Wednesday after bringing 40 pairs of shoes to donate to the very grateful children at Boma, I learned Jenga's story. He is an IDP - Internally Displaced Person. In the 2008 elections, tribes were turned against one another and because Jenga was of a specific tribe, his family was a target. Both his parents were killed in the post election violence. He was found living in the sewers of Nairobi almost dying of phenomena before he was brought to boma. He now lives with his grandmother who is HIV positive. As heart breaking as this specific story is, I'm confident this is just one of many from the children of Boma. I hope to figure out a way to sponsor Jenga so that he is able to attend school in the future.

On a positive note, I've been here almost a month and no signs of serious sickness. Both Conor and Emma have had to go a near by clinic here in Karioganji for blood samples testing for a variety of different things, mainly Malaria. After receiving medicine though, they are both back to good health!

As these keyboards are terrible and it takes me a year to write each blog I'm cutting this one off.
Kenya is beautiful, can't believe I've already been here a month. 2 more to go!

Miss you all.
Love, Sam!

Welcome to Kenya!

Jambo!

I have arrived in Kenya, safe and sound.

George (the supervisor of Education for Life) met Emma and I at the airport after our 19 hour flight here. I was a little frightened after finding out we would not be living in a church as originally planned but in the same apartment in the slum of Kariobangi that was broken into and robbed multiple times last year when Waterloo students were living in it. So far the apartment has been fine though, despite no stove, fridge, clean water and electrical down times.

The cost of food here is very cheap. A cup of tea or chapatti (pita) is approx. $0.10 each. We were able to have an entire meal for 3 people for $1.00. The rent here however is very expensive because it is owned by the government and taxed very heavily. For our apartment which is only 3 rooms (not bedrooms-rooms) is $130.00 a month. The people here are literally living in garbage. When the garbage truck comes to the area we live people dig through it to find things.

Yesterday, George took us all into Nairobi which is the main city. Quite similar to Toronto it is very busy. Emma and I rode a camel! We also went on a walking safari tour in Kenya's National Park and were able to go in where the cheetahs were and pet them (pictures to come!). The man here was not suppose to do this but let us (I assume because we were white). Where ever we go here children swarm and chant "mazungo" which means white people. In fact in the internet cafe I am in right now there are children outside shouting this. They all want to hold hands and touch us- really strange for us.

Time to head out though. More next time!

"Be strong my bothers" - George 

Leaving for Kenya...

My girly side may potentially be taking over at the moment. Trying to decide what I actually NEED while packing is getting tedious. I wish I could bring my entire room, however my 25 pound weight limit is a little restricting. I currently have one backpack which I will be taking with me on the plane carrying everything I will need for 3 months in Kenya. My second back which I will check in is carrying supplies to bring. So far the big things in my bag are: a small camping sleeping bag (I have to provide my own bedding), a microfiber towel, a roll of toilet paper, 2 boxes of KD, all my medications and water purification drops, energy bars, a flashlight, a camera, some small shampoos, a sweater, a waterproof jacket, 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of jeans, a few t-shirts... potentially a hair straightener (i know what you're thinking- stop). 

I probably have a million things to do still... 

Starting to freak out. I hear it's normal though. 

next step: get on that plane!

The Thirteenth One.

Robbery, Malaria, political activism, HIV/AIDS, dehydration, diarrhea, flooding, uncooked food, military stops, rebel groups, Yellow Fever, unsafe drivers, rabies, tampered water.

When selecting potential developing countries to volunteer in this summer, Kenya was relatively low on the list. Although I had a strong preference for a country in Africa, the safety and security in Kenya held be back from selecting this location. I was told at the beginning of the semester that where the last two Beyond Borders students lived in Kariobangi, Kenya, their apartment was broken into multiple times throughout the duration of their stay. Along with horror stories of being confronted by large men while walking along the street demanding your bag, loosing passports and other important documents, and being held at gun point are also potential situations that may be encountered in the locations we visit.

In regards to severity, being robbed and getting sick are potentially the most consequential. In 2006 Kenya had an estimated 15 million malaria cases with 40,000 deaths. During this year there were also 684 cases and 155 deaths from an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever. In order to minimize the chances of getting sick while abroad, there are a number of initiatives I have taken. To begin, I faced my absolute worst fear of needles, and after a brief breakdown, received 4 shots to prevent Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Typhoid, and Hepatitis A. In addition I will also be taking oral medication to prevent Malaria, travelers diarrhea and maintain my immune system. As the water from the tap in our living location will be contaminated, it is a requirement to purify the water before consumption. Failing to either boil water or add water purification drops can lead to serious illness.

I reflected upon this for a while after completing our recent depart smart program.

These may be fears of mine, but to others these are just realities. Although these risks and hazards may appear frightening and dangerous to us traveling, the people living in this country face these obstacles daily.  How do they cope? What techniques do they use to deal with these problems? Items such as mosquito nets have been adopted by the people of Kenya to assist in the prevention of Malaria.

While my fears of safety and sickness still dwindle, looking at the amount of vaccinations and prescription drugs we have available to us in order to prepare has started to ease my worries. Although the majority of Kenyans do not have access to adequate health care, I am interested to see what other techniques they use to keep safe and minimize sickness.  

The Twelfth One.

The Eleventh One.

So you’re going to Kenya, eh?

Located in the East of the African continent, Kenya borders the Indian Ocean, Somalia and Tanzania, Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia. It is approximately the size of the state of Texas with its highest elevation point being Mt. Kenya standing at 5,199 meters. With a life expectancy of 45 years, Kenya is home to a population of 32,000,000 people. To put this in perspective, it contains roughly the same sized population as Canada. Of those 15 years of age and older, the literacy rate is 85%, however the population percentage infected with AIDS is pushing 7%.

Although Kenya has only recently gained their independence from Britain, the land of Kenya has been occupied for millions of years. Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore present-day Kenya.

Today, Kenya is classified as a developing, yet emerging nation with the highest GDP in East and Central Africa. Nairobi is the largest industrial centre, producing mainly processed food, beer, soaps, textiles and chemicals. Based on information read and pictures, I can only assume Nairobi will relate similarly to our capital of Toronto, here in Ontario.

http://kenyanview.com/nairobi.html
City of Nairobi

http://www.mnmkenyasafaris.com/excursions.html
City of Nairobi

Agriculture is exceptionally important as well, as it employs around 80% of the country’s population and is responsible for 50% of their GDP ("Nairobi", 2011). Kenya’s main exports include maize, coffee, tea, beans and fruit. In addition, tourism has recently replaced coffee as the country’s largest foreign exchange earner. Tourists travel the globe to witness Kenya’s well-known game parks, climb Mt. Kenya and visit the city of Mombasa along the coastline.

So if these are the facts we are hearing, why are we seeing this?

The rooftops of Korogocho, one of Africa’s many densely populated slums.

Photo courtesy of Eric Brown/Hewlett Foundation.

http://www.hewlett.org/newsroom/getting-down-the-facts-to-reduce-poverty-in-kenya

In 1948 the colonial government published a master plan for Nairobi, based largely on the British system. Unfortunately, the plan did not take into account the excessive population growth, creating a strain on the city’s infrastructure. The adjusted plan developed in 1973 quotes the governments determination for the country as stated “This desire is made all the more acute by colonial history during most of which Africans were second class citizens in their own country and were provided with fewer social services at standards far below those of expatriates (Keane, 2005).”

Although the government gave the National Housing Corporation a dominant role in providing affording housing, the escalating population was far too vast for this initiative. Kenya's average urban demand for new homes is around 150,000 units, whereas supply is nearer 25,000 (Keane, 2005). Due to poor planning for an ever-increasing population, around 60% of Kenya’s population currently reside in slums along the outskirts of the city. Experts suggest that with only 120 planners to deal with its problems, and without a nationwide commitment from all parties, the next 20 years.

Along with 2 million other people, these slums will be my new summer home.

Keane, J. "Kenya's slum problem stirs urgent effort." Planning. 1648 (2005): 16. 

"Nairobi." Kenya. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://kenyanview.com/nairobi.html>.

The Tenth One.

Why a sustainable organization? Why are we not following in the footsteps of countless individuals who have established organizations of their own to fulfill a need or assist with a problem in the community?

Every organization and placement each of the Beyond Borders students will be placed in this summer is self-sustaining.  Why? As students, we will eventually have to revoke our labor when we leave to return home. After leaving, the organization would have to continue its work without the help of us students. Because of this we will be assisting each organization with their programs that have been established and will continue on for years after we leave. (This is not to say we are not needed or appreciated!)

While briefly discussing this is class, I was reminded of the book I am currently reading, Three Cups of Tea. This novel, based on a true story shares the experiences of mountain climber Greg Mortenson and his experience of building schools in an impoverished community in Pakistan. Having funded and built these schools then traveled home, does this mean that Greg’s schools are unsustainable? Where do the teachers come from? How are they educated? How are more and more books, paper, pencils etc. continuously supplied?

Even if an individual were to fund a program or volunteering somewhere that wasn’t sustainable and was unable to operate without them there, does this make it bad?  I feel like maybe some of these questions align with that of Nicole’s from pervious blogs regarding “volunteerism”. Here comes the economic side of me…

How does one maximize their volunteering to produce the largest amount of output? While volunteering abroad will we be truly maximizing our resources even if the organization is able to sustain itself with out us? Would be not be put to better use where our work and help is essential?

These are all things I have been analyzing lately.

On somewhat of a side note, while looking into sustainable organizations I came across a fantastic program in Toronto called “The Stop”. Although the video focuses mainly on how the growth, preparation and eating of food has the power to bring communities together, this organization does much more then that. Although I have not had the opportunity to attend The Working Centre in Waterloo, I have a feeling it is very similar to the program developed here in Toronto. The Stop provides frontline services to our community, including a drop in, food bank, community action program, bake ovens and markets, community cooking, community advocacy, sustainable food systems network and urban agriculture.

http://vimeo.com/20247365
(This video is really well done! - different then the one below)

My favourite line in this video is that food stimulates conversation “once you start talking about food you start talking about other things like your problem with your land lord, or your addiction… it’s all connected”. This organization is self-sustainable as those that utilize the services also give back by volunteering their time to The Stop in other ways. 

The Ninth One.

Disclaimer: this is a blog about periods, tampons and other fun stuff!

(I almost feel awkward thinking about any males that might decide to read this)

I’ve been told by a few people so far to bring “sanitary napkins” with me to Kenya when I travel as the selection there will be limited and difficult to find. This was a bit of a let down as this then becomes one more thing taking up space in my ‘small enough as it is’ bag. I just figured I’d have to suck it up and deal with it, it’s a necessity right?

Never once did I think to consider… what do girls in Kenya use?

My mind went absolutely blank when this thought developed. If females living in the slums of Nairobi are unable to even buy enough food to survive, how on earth would they be able to afford such simple things we take for granted like pads and tampons?

The coordinator of Education for Life (EFL) in Kariobanji, George recently sent an email to myself and the 3 other Beyond Borders students traveling to Kenya with information regarding things needed at the organization. Sports equipment, musical instruments and… underwear and sanitary napkins!

After researching this further I discovered that adolescent girls in developing countries miss up to 50 days of school each year because their families can't afford to buy them sanitary pads. I assume this would have a significant economic and educational impact on the millions of women unable to attend school because of this.

However, along with this great problem, come many viable suggestions and solutions. In various parts of Africa, Asia and Central America, local organic materials are being used to make inexpensive environmentally friendly sanitary pads to sell locally.  Women are able to create their own businesses and earn money through the production of this well-needed product.  In many cases, the fibers from Banana stems, which are typically easily accessible, are used as the main production ingredient.

http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/10/29/making-sanitary-pads-from-banana-tree-fibers-to-help-women-solve-a-significant-problem-in-developing-countries/

Another suggestion that a past Beyond Borders student has recommended is to sew pads with fabric so that they can be reused. With a print out of the pattern, we will be able to bring samples to Kenya with us and hopefully start up a program to create reusable pads. A great thing about these is that after you’re finished with them they can easily be composted and used for fertilizer.

http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~obsidian/clothpads/clothpads.html

It’s amazing how even across the world, women still deal with the same problems and situations.

The Eighth One

This past week while traveling to work, a not-for-profit organization was situated at Union Station collecting money to give to those who didn’t have food. Although I was extremely hesitant, I decided to donate the money I had withdrawn from the ATM to give to this worthwhile cause.

Let me tell you, this day was the longest I have ever experienced. Not only did I not have any other money on me, I didn’t have a single bank or credit card either. The feeling of being hungry and not physically having any thing to eat or money to buy anything is something I have never experienced before. Although I had the option of asking co-workers to borrow money or food, I wasn’t comfortable doing this. It was almost demeaning thinking about having to beg for food. My entire day I was focused on how much longer I had to wait to leave work to travel home so that this rumbling in my stomach would cease. I can’t even imagine what living life day to day like this would be like.

After finally devouring my dinner later that night, I took time to reflect on this experience. The first thing that came to my mind was good old Thich Nhat Hanh. In The First Precept: Reverence For Life, he explains, “It is important for us to stay in touch with the suffering of the world. We need to nourish that awareness through many means -- sounds, images, direct contact, visits, and so on -- in order to keep compassion alive in us.” Through not having food to eat, even for one day, I was able to undergo the suffering many all over the world suffer daily. I’m sure in my new home outside Nairobi, Kenya I will witness the suffering of those not having the food required to sustain daily life. As Thich Nhat Hanh further expresses, “we need to stay in touch with suffering only to the extent that we will not forget, so that compassion will flow within us and be a source of energy for our actions”.

I have no doubt that traveling and living in a country such as Kenya that I will experience an immense amount of suffering while there. My concern however, is the transformation back to the Western world after seeing this first hand. I sometimes worry that these problems that I experience abroad may be too overwhelming for me that upon my return home I may attempt to forget about the suffering I will have been exposed to. We have all been warned by many about the struggle that past Beyond Borders students as well as others that travel to developing countries undergo after being exposed to the suffering in their host country.

I truly hope that through this experience I am able to cope with the transformation back from Kenya and remain in contact with the people in the community I will be living in. I also hope that with the knowledge of each community I will be able to assist in the development of it even from home back in Ontario. I think that one of the benefits of traveling with a group is that this will greatly assist with the return home. Although each of our experiences will not be identical, it will be nice having others to talk with about specific people or locations.

Before the conclusion of this blog, I just wanted to send out a huge thank you to the St. Jeromes community. I was able to travel up to Waterloo this weekend to help out Conor with the Sunday mass, and was shocked at the amount of support we received. Not only did we have a huge success raising financial contributions, but an overwhelming number of people stopped by after hearing our story to wish us good luck and share stories of their own. THANK YOU!

The Seventh One.

This week has been full of numerous things I would like to share with you all.

To begin, looking back on my last blog regarding my frustrations from lack of support, I’ve recently received what feels like an overwhelming amount of interest from others. I’ve discovered that although people may not specifically comment on the good intentions we may have behind this trip, merely showing interest may often be enough. Not knowing how to bring up my upcoming trip to Kenya in conversation at work, I had briefly mentioned it to a few co-workers in order to get a feel for their reaction. I guess water cooler talk spreads fast- a few days later I was being interviewed for our branch monthly newsletter. What a lovely surprise!

Secondly, I would like to share with you some of my recent experiences in Toronto. For those of you who have never ridden the Go Train before-let me tell you, it is a complete culture of its own. To start off, very rarely does any one ever talk on the train in the morning. In fact, it is so quiet that you can hear the man snoring 5 booths over from your own. Even on the way home, no one ever talks to each other. How absurd is it that most people sit so close to each other that their knees almost touch the person across from them for almost an hour, yet don’t say a single word to that person?

Another aspect of the Go Train culture that absolutely shocked me is the amount of awareness people have for others around them. More then once I have seen elderly men and women standing on the train with no seat, while commuters half their age remain seated. What’s worse is when people remain standing because someone else’s brief case remains on the seat they could be sitting in. Just last week an elderly lady hobbled onto the train car I was standing in barely able to keep her balance. On a train full of suit wearing, brief case carrying business men, not a single one offered to give up their seat for this women after glancing up at her. It wasn’t until a boy- about my age noticed and gladly offered her his seat that she was able to sit down.

I have high aspirations for myself – goals, dreams, etc. but seeing this corporate “every man for himself” life style makes me question my life path. I know that through gaining respect from others, one is able to take a leadership role and in turn make changes. We’ve seen this with many leaders, from Gandhi to Hitler. My hopes are to gain respect from others by achieving a higher education and leading others with the knowledge I’ve acquired. However, after seeing all these “corporate sell-outs”, how do I know I’m not going to turn into one of them? Is it possible to follow the system just like everyone else, yet still have open eyes? How does one keep from doing this? These are just a few of the questions I’ve been asking myself lately.

On a different note, after hearing about my placement in Kenya my Grandmother and her sister (my Aunt) came over to learn everything they possibly could about where I will be going and what I will be doing there. Even though they came over to learn from me, it was really quite the opposite. My Aunt traveled to Nairobi during the 1980’s when the UN met to discuss the role of women in Africa. It was here they presented the facts that women were completing as much as 80% of the workload in the average household, yet only receiving 2% of the compensation brought in. This is a topic she is extremely passionate about and I am so excited to hear everything she has to tell me about the history behind the country of Kenya!

More blogging to come this week. The house is back in session next week so trying to get as much as possible done before then! Woohoooo!

The Sixth One.

Warning: This is a rant blog.


I'm not sure if people just don't know how to react when I tell them I'm going to be living in a slum in Kenya for 3 months this summer with a smile on my face, or what? Lately I've received the most obscene responses to this statement.

"Oh, why would you do that?"
"I would never put my self through that"
"...sounds like fun......"

Now its not to say that everyones reaction crushes my heart this much and makes me sink deeper down into my little hole. The majority of my friends and family have been overly supportive of my journey, sending their blessings, items for raffles and donating money. Its those occational few that I sometimes wish they would take off their Channel sunglasses and put down their Louis Vuitton purses for just a second and listen to what I have to say.

On a better note, even though yesterday was a super sucky day for me (my car brakes stopped working - $800 later my car is now safe to drive), where I least expected it, I found a light at the end of the tunnel. Just before closing I ran to the mall to get a SIM card for my phone which was stolen a few months ago. While in the wireless wave store I thought I would ask about what will happen to my phone plan while I'm abroad. The man behind the counter, probably in his late 20's asked where I was going. When I said Kenya, his face looked up from the computer screen he had been staring at with a huge smile, and words began flying out of his mouth a mile a minuite. His family was from Nairobi, a city he was very passioniate about. He told me about the problems of crime, the heat, the food and the language.

Fun Fact:  hakuna matata (From the Lion King) is actually Swahili, which is the language often spoke in Kenya

Aside from all the great information he gave me, he also gave me some words of encouragement which I had longed to hear from someone--anyone.

"you're doing a really great thing"

Thanks man from wireless wave.

The Fifth One.

My enthusiasm for research was sparked after reading Conor’s blog Slums and Suburbs, enticing me to further investigate the slums outside Nairobi, Kenya where I will be living this summer. While searching for online journals, I stumbled across a great report created by Amnesty International titled Kenya: The unseen Majority; Nairobi’s Two Million Slum Dwellers. Here are some shocking facts that I discovered reading this…

•          2 million people (half the capital’s population) are crammed into only 5% of the city’s residential area
•         This problem dates back to the Colonial period when most Africans were barred from the city’s residential area as they were reserved for Europeans and Asians
•           In 2002 only 24% of slum residents had access to piped water (92% in the rest of Nairobi)
•          For those without access to piped water, private water vendors are the only other option – the average resident can barely afford to purchase 20 litres a day (2 Ksh or $0.025 US)
•           In the slum of Kibera, an estimated 130,000 have access to only one reliable private health facility
•          The Kenyan government launched a free primary education program in 2003 –- however most children in slums do not have access to this
•         The cost to send a child to school for a year outside Nairobi is Ksh 800-1,200 or US$10-15) per child – a price which most cannot afford
•         Many families in the slums see prostitution as the only way to afford their housing and put food on the table
•          1.5 Million in Kenya are living with HIV

For those who didn’t notice, the majority of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals are inadvertently addressed within these brief points. Goals 1 –Ending Poverty and Hunger, 2- Universal Education, 4- Child Health, 5- Maternal Health and 6- Combat HIV/AIDs, which are each mentioned, I have found to be the most problematic and stagnant while learning about the devastation in Kenyan slums. Author Carl Sandburg compared human life to an onion. We have to peel it one layer at a time, and cry in between for the problems are so immense.  

The description of the slums we will be living in reminded me of the vivid images we gained while reading Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country. Much like South Africa during the apartheid era, Kenya is now experiencing similar conditions as the country is currently housing “ten millionaires and ten million beggers” as a Kenyan news reported stated. In South Africa, however annual slum growth has fallen markedly according to the UN-Habitat Report. In addition a recent South African water law stipulates that every household should be provided with 200 litres of free

water daily.

Although numerous suggestions have been brought forward and presented regarding the upgrading of slums and international standards on evictions, I am hesitant to side with which approach would work best. I think that because of this course I’ve learned how important it is to create change using a bottom-up or grass roots approach, so I feel that any recommendations would be best provided after actually speaking with the people living in these make-shift communities. That being said, some recommendations that I feel must be followed or implemented regardless of the proposal are: 

·      Support and commitment from Government backed by written and publicized bold policy reforms

·      Protection for squatters and surveillance over forced evictions as they are as violation of human rights that governments are obligated to prohibit and prevent

·      The creation of affordable housing land to prevent the increased growth of new slums

Although my opinions may change once I’ve landed in my host country and become truly aware of the complications involved with this problem, these are my current suggestions. Even after reading about the slums of Nairobi for hours each day, I don’t think anything will prepare me for the initial shock of actually seeing one, let alone living in it. I know many of my friends think I’m crazy for saying this, but this is something I am certainly looking forward to experiencing. 

Amnesty International. (2009). Kenya: the unseen majority; nairobi's two million slum dwellers.         Amnesty International Publications.

The Forth One.

After a week of traveling Ontario with the Finance Committee for Ontario’s Pre-Budget Consultations, I’ve finally arrived home. Prior to securing my co-op placement at the Legislative Assembly, my knowledge of politics consisted of a 5-page essay on “what is Democracy?” in Intro to Political Science 101. Slowly, I am beginning to comprehend our Canadian political system along with the history and tradition behind it. For example, “Pre-budget Consultation” may be a foreign concept to some, however when fully explained the idea gains life and becomes something one is able to make sense of. The Pre-Budget Consultations are meetings held in various locations around Ontario for any organization or individual to make an appearance before a set of MPP’s (who form the committee), and suggests their views as well as specific recommendations for Ontario’s economy.

After attending these meetings, I can safely say I am now able to check “politician” off my list of careers to not consider. As fortunate as I was to have the opportunity to travel around Ontario for these public hearings, listening to organization after organization argue their case as to why they deserved or required additional funding became overly aggravating. Allow me to further explain myself.

Every organization from the Association of Ontario Neurologists to Dealfblind Associations and Health Coalitions to Voices Against Poverty each made 15-minute presentations voicing their concerns. Initially, after hearing the first presenter, I was inspired by the work they do and convinced I would be satisfied knowing my tax dollars would be going to a good cause if the recommendations presented by this organization were to be implemented. Unfortunately, almost every single organization presented a strong case leaving me open to question “who deserves help most?”

As a politician, I’ve learned that your constituency elects you because people have faith that you will make the right decisions on their behalf. But who is to determine what the “right” decision entails. We are all aware that Tobacco is an extremely harmful drug with irreversible effects, however does this invalidate the fact that thousands of farmers in Northern Ontario are able to feed their families and put a roof over their heads because of this product. Even organizations such as the Tobacco Industry bring controversy to the table regarding funding.

In a recent 2010 report entitled People Without Jobs, Jobs Without People the future of Ontario’s labour market is thoroughly analyzed and projected numbers and percentages of labour shortages in Ontario are presented. After numerous organizations made references to this report, I took it upon myself to look further into what it discusses. According to the report, the vast proportion of our population is currently in their prime working years (15 to 64 years in age), however this year, 2011; the average baby boomer will reach the age of normal retirement₁.  By late 2011, the projected growth assumption yields a deficit of 40,000 workers and rises to 800,000 by 2026₁. In order to maintain our Canadian economy it is becoming increasingly essential to find a new labour workforce to fulfill this gap. The report suggests two key areas for growth, which I find particularly important and will further address.

The first of which is the under-represented labour force of people with disabilities. The report states that “using 2006 census data, the participation rate for persons with disabilities between the ages of 15-64 was only 54.9%. For all other Ontarians it was 77.3%, a difference of 22.4%₁.” It is obvious that there is room for growth here. A large portion of this problem relates to the fact that the current ODSP program is in fact counter productive as it punishes those who are disabled and want to work by taking 50% of their profits. I could expand further on this, but it could quite possibly be a blog topic of its own.

 The second area of growth relates to the increasing demand for skilled labour. With a high school drop out rate of 68% we have a large proportion of youth who will remain unemployed or fill unskilled jobs₁. A substantial proportion of these youth come from lower socio-economic families. Relating back to the Pre-Budget consultations, organizations such as 25 in 5: Network for Poverty Reduction and Put Food in The Budget have stated that without food, kids don’t learn. Tracing back to the question of “who deserves it most”, my own analysis of this relates to the necessity required for all human beings: food. Sure hydro cuts and tax credits do wonders for those organizations who are looking to keep their bank accounts full, but I think what is more important is keeping stomachs full. Without food no one learns, and when no one learns, no one works.

By helping to provide food to those who cannot afford it, we are not only helping that specific individual, but I’ve learned through this report that it will actually help to stimulate our Canadian economy.

In addition to this report, some other great resources I’ve looked into this past week are listed below for anyone interested.

putfoodinthebudget.ca

à This site has created a campaign where supporters are encouraged to write a Valentine to Dwight Duncan, the Finance Minister, stating what food means to them. When this organization presented in Ottawa they had a large Valentine for us to bring back to Queens Park for him!

25in5.ca

ensembleunderstands.com

Enjoy!

₁ http://www.workforcecoalition.ca/downloads/people-without-jobs-jobs-without-people-final.pdf

The Third One.

Friday morning. Check inbox, nothing. Refresh. Nothing. Refresh again. Nothing.

Waiting to discover where I will be spending 3 months this up coming summer has allowed me to truly understand the feeling of “anxiety”. Prior to my acceptance to Beyond Borders I had always been interested in traveling to a developing country to volunteer. I had been exposed to various opportunities to do so, however I never built up the courage to follow through with my desire to participate.  Most focused on the religious experience of “mission trips” or were too costly with few opportunities to fund raise in order to offset the cost. When introduced to the idea of Beyond Borders, I knew this was the opportunity I had been looking for, but had doubt in my mind that I had the ability to follow through with the process. I’ll apply- but I won’t get an interview. I’ll go to the interview-but I’ll back out if I don’t like it. I constantly made justifications that would allow me to rationalize applying for such a drastic life experience. Shocked to be here today, ready to embark on my travels, I am amazed with myself that I have come this far.

Refresh. Check again. Refresh….

The long anticipation of discovering my placement has cieced (for a while at least).  When reading the e-mail from Joanne, all I could think was “okay Joanne, get to the point. WHERE AM I GOING?!”. And then, in the last paragraph, 2nd sentence Your placement will be Kariobangi, Kenya working with Education 4 Life.  Then came the water works. Worried, relieved, stressed, excited, scared, speechless, and yet wanting to tell everyone I knew. I was going to Africa!

Worried. What were my parents going to think? I had told my family my #1 request was Uganda and they had told their friends, and the word was passed along. Never did it cross their mind that their daughter would actually be living in the most dangerous placement location, let alone a slum.

I figured I would do some research. Try to ease their worries with some positive (safe) information about Kenya before breaking the big news. To my horror, Google did not do me justice. “Kenya: Police target illegal gangs after Kariobangi” and “Kariobangi Murders” were the only articles I could find.  I have yet to share this information with them, so if an entry is not posted next week from me, you can assume why.

This past weekend I’ve begun to further investigate the country of Kenya and gather as much information as I can. Although I wish I had the ability to spend more time on this, I’ve also been given the opportunity to travel with the Finance and Economics Committee for the Pre-Budget Consultations hosted in various cities around Ontario. I will touch on this in my next blog as I have numerous points on this that I am excited to share with you.

For now, this is the end of Blog Three. As I continue to discover more information regarding my placement I will update.

The Second One.

Can I begin by saying I hate blogging? I’m not sure if this is allowed but it needs to be said. I HATE BLOGGING! I officially discovered this about 3 hours ago when I sat down to develop a topic for this one.

After having gotten that off my chest, I suppose it’s time to begin. For those of you who don’t know, I’m currently on a co-op term working at the Ontario Legislative Assembly in Toronto. Because of the distance, I won’t be attending the Working Centre in Waterloo like my fellow classmates, however I have found a great organization right in my hometown of Oakville called Community Living. Community Living is a not-for-profit organization that is devoted to ensuring that people with developmental disabilities are able to enjoy their right to lead active and productive lives in their community₁. The combination of working with a diversity camp this past summer as well as reading Jean Vanier’s Becoming Human, encouraged me to continue this passion of mine further.

As I mentioned in my first blog, I used to think I could save the world. However, my superman dream was slowly brought back to reality after realizing how truly complex our world problems are. Throughout RS283, we focused our attention on the Millennium Development Goals and quickly learned how each target was somehow intertwined with another, disabling the ability to accomplish each distinct goal at a time. Despite this depressing news, I’ve also gained hope by briefly learning about some amazing people who have founded the various organizations we will be working with both in our home communities and abroad. As Vanier states in Becoming Human:

"But let us not put our sights too high. We do not have to be saviours of the world! We are simply human beings, enfolded in weakness and in hope, called together to change our world one heart at a time (163)."

This quote really inspired me to continue on my journey with Beyond Borders as I know even if all I help is one person, it’s a step in the right direction.

By beginning my volunteer placement close to home with Community Living Oakville, my hopes are that it will provide me with the opportunity to gradually become comfortable with being uncomfortable. By this, I am referring to the infamous statement referenced often in our Beyond Borders class “when you’re out of your comfort zone, it means your learning”. For me, being pushed out of my comfort zone varies from being shy on my first day of work or raising my hand to answer a question in class to having to people someone with a mental disability twice my size screaming at me or having to witness a mother abusing her child. Whenever placed in uncomfortable situations, that rush of adrenaline kicks in helping me to overcome whatever obstacle I encounter. The feeling of looking back, even for a brief moment, at what you just accomplished always makes that feeling of scared/awkwardness seem so miniscule, and your overall achievement even more worthwhile.

Although I have yet to begin this placement, I’m excited to encounter new and exciting challenges. By becoming used to being faced with difficult situations at Community Living, my hopes are that this will help to prepare me for being thrown WAY out of my comfort zone when I reach my new 2011 summer home. Things like not having running water, little sanitation, learning new customs or languages and seeing how people in the developing world live day to day, is going to be a challenge. I don’t know if there is anything here that can truly prepare me for this “uncomfort” that I will face in less then 4 months. I guess we’ll find out soon!

Before I sign off on this blog, I’ve made a list of things I hope to discuss in future blogs. This will hopefully help me to develop ideas faster and eventually maybe I’ll even enjoy writing publically (I don’t have high hopes on this one!).

1.    1. Things I’m excited/worried for

2.    2. Things I hope to accomplish while I’m there

3.    3. A brief history about the country I’ll be traveling to

4.    4. Things I have to keep in mind while in my host country

(Whew, I did it! I made it through my first blog --defiantly not within my comfort level yet. I’ll work on it.)

Until next time, you stay classy Waterloo!

peace and love,

sam.

The First One!

Growing up I've always wanted to travel to a developing country and volunteer (preferably Africa) and after being introduced to the Beyond Borders program I knew this was the perfect opportunity. Although it seems intimidating and potentially unsafe, the fact that I will be traveling and volunteering alone without any of my other Beyond Borders members is one of the reasons why I applied to this program. (However, after becoming good friends with everyone, I'm starting to think otherwise!) This will give me the opportunity to grow as a person and experience things I normally wouldn't have if I was in a group situation. 

After taking the RS282 course for this program last semester I've realized that volunteering abroad isn't going to change the world. This was really hard for me to grasp. However, I do know that I can make an impact. I'm also hoping that by following my blog, people here will become informed by having the opportunity to see what it's really like to live in a developing country. 

Even though I'm going to miss everyone, I am SO incredibly excited for this!

Enjoy my blog and learn from my experiences as I encounter the developing world. 

so much love (L). 

Sam